A Thing of the Past
by kitsune-of-death
Summary: The new year has begun, a mysterious new teacher has joined the Hogwarts staff and old acquaintances are renewed. Unexpected things begin to happen. Mainly about Lupin but touches with all the characters. Follows the professors around mostly but shows fro


_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or its characters. All information about magic creatures and divinations come from viable sources._

A Thing of the Past 

Chapter One:

The New Year

Harry hoped down from the carriage quickly and cast his eyes upon the open door of Hogwarts castle, he was happy to be back and a few questions burned on his tongue to see whom the new teachers would be. Hermione came next followed by a grinning Ron as his eyes looked upon the castle. "Thought the summer would never end…" Murmured Harry as he bolted toward the stairs. Ron and Hermione followed quickly and they joined the queue of students making their way to the Great Hall. As they neared the doors soft whispers spread like wild fire. 'Did you see the new professor?' 'I can't believe it! They would actually let him back!' A high-pitched Slytherin girl's voice was loudest over the crowd. She quickly silenced herself when Professor McGonagall's watchful eye became visible over the sea of black. 

"Quiet please. Keep moving the first years will be here soon and I want this hall cleared!" The rest of the walk was silent and the trio quickly found their seats at the Gryffindor table. 

Harry looked uncontrollably around the staff table, they're between Professor Dumbledore and Professor Sprout sat Lupin, Harry's favorite Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. He smiled as their eyes meet and Harry waved happily. "So it was true! They got him to come back!" Came Ron's voice, distracting Harry and causing him to bump into Hermione.

"So'rry." Hermione opened her mouth to say something but Ron interjected.

"Look there's a new teacher and no Professor Trelawney!" Curious both Harry and Hermione turned toward the staff table and noticed the young women that Ron was talking about. Next to Snape and looking very serious sat a rather young witch with shinny brown hair and deep midnight blue robes. She had her hair half up in a stylish knot and most noticeable were her eyes, nearly the same color as her robes. 

"Looks like another McGonagall…" Said Ron softly.

"I don't think so, she looks younger and if she were like Professor McGonagall she wouldn't wear her hair like that." Came Hermione's voice. Harry laughed as Ron and Hermione launched into an argument over what the new teacher would be like. Slowly after the sorting hat had been brought out and then put away Professor Dumbledore stood and called for silence.

"Welcome new students and old students. As you can tell we've some new faces and some old faces on our staff this year. I'd like to thank Professor Lupin for returning this year to continue your Defense Against the Dark Arts training and would like to inform you that… Professor Trelawney won't be joining us this year. She has decided to take a long overdue retreat to clear her mind and better receive psychic vibrations," He paused slightly, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "While in her place I'd like to introduce Professor Drakeford." His light blue eyes turned toward the new teacher; she stood and bowed slightly, throwing Dumbledore an unreadable expression. He only seemed to smile brighter. "Now let the feast begin!" Immediately the gold platters filled with food and the hungry murmurs of students turned toward goblets of pumpkin juice.

"Professor Snape, may I please borrow a bit of sage? Professor Trelawney hasn't left much for me to work with and my personal store has already been spent by other classes." The young Professor Drakeford stood at the door to Snape's office, looking rather calm and speaking in a matter of fact manner. Professor Snape looked up, his beady eyes studying her.

            "You've no need to call me Professor Snape, Riley."

"I tis not for my benefit but rather force of habit and if you'd be so kind, its Professor Drakeford or just Drakeford." Snape's eyes darkened, he stared at the young woman for a long time.

"Very well Professor Drakeford you may have some of mine." He stood hauntingly and opened a cupboard behind his desk. Carefully he removed a covered jar and set it down on a counter, then taking out an empty jar. With a slow pace he opened the sage jar and poured a generous amount into the empty one. Turning around he walked up to Professor Drakeford and looked down his nose at her, giving her his well covered sneer. "There you go Miss Drakeford and please come to me if you are in need of any other herbs."

"Thank you Professor, you are most kind."

"As I've given you the sage would you be as kind to let be know what you plan to do with it?" Snape asked in his most cordial yet concealing voice.

"I've been teaching the students how to make a wand from sage leaves to be used in our next lesson." The woman replied promptly. Snape narrowed his eyes, his greasy skin shinny slightly from the candles flickering in his office. Professor Drakeford on the other hand kept her head inclined to return his stare with such an air that she seemed to be oblivious to his greasiness and narrowed eyes. "Now Professor if you are through with your questions I'd like to prepare for my next class."

"I am through, Miss Drakeford. Good day to you." Riley nodded her head and turned on her heel waking at a smart pace from the room, her robes trailing along behind her. 

Once away from the potion master's office Riley sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Something about that man sent her nerves on edge, to be frank… this whole school felt as if it had something to hide… She'd felt it when she attended the school herself years ago, but now it felt as though the same feelings had grown much stronger then before. And she wished secretly that she hadn't accepted the job, but nothing could be done about that. She was here and she'd continue to teach the class she never enjoyed much.

"Harry!" Ron ran into the Great Hall, a few pieces of parchment he waved wildly in front of his nose. 

"What is it? I can't see it if you move it like that."

"It's the new schedules, and man this years gonna suck! We've divination twice a week after lunch!"

"What?" He took his schedule and looked it over quickly. His face fell to a frown. "I can't believe it… and we've double potions again."

"I could live with that git for a while… But I don't want to see what this divinations teacher has planned for us… I'd be mighty sure she's either for real or worse then Trelawney!"

"Who's worse then that old fraud?" Came Hermione's voice as she trotted up to the table and sat down.

"The new divinations teacher." Answered Harry.

"Oh anyone could be better then her." Huffed Hermione, scooping a large spoonful of oatmeal into her bowl.

"Better not to judge before we've had the class Ron."

"Well you'll get your wish, we've got it today!" Ron sat down thrusting Hermion's schedule into her hands. The rest of breakfast pasted with little event, they said good-bye to Hermione as she headed off to Arithmancy and they to Divination. Slowly they climbed the stairways to the out of the way tower. Once done they could see the silver latter was down and a low mummer was coming from the trap door.

"I told you she'd be just like Professor Trelawney…" Mumbled Ron as he started to climb.

The room was still dark, but the air wasn't as heavily perfumed. The fire was a cheery yellow instead of its normal red. Slowly the students drifted in and took a seat at one of the man small round tables, which now looked like they where in some sort of order. The teacher wasn't in sight and it made Harry uncomfortable, thinking on how Professor Trelawney made her appearances and always predicted someone's death. The mummer stopped suddenly and the young witch stepped out of the shadow of a curtain. "Good morning class, my name is Professor Drakeford." Her voice wasn't misty, but it did hold a hint of mystery and music. "I'm not really sure exactly what you've learned or studied so far, Professor Trelawney's letter was rather vague but I can assure you this year will be very different." She continued as she walked to where Professor Trelawney's winged armchair used to be. "Any questions?"

"Are you going to predict one of our deaths?" Asked Dean Thomas rather haphazardly. The young woman blinked and paused slightly.

"You're going to die Mr. Thomas if you ask such uncalled for questions again." She replied with the utmost calmness but with a hint of a smile in her voice. "Now that that's out of the way shall I precede to teach you your first lesson in my class?" She looked around, holding her hands out and looking at each student in turn. She wore no bracelets and moved without a sound. Her robes muffled her footsteps as she walked to her desk, now resting silently in a corner. She turned back to face the class a few seconds later. "I'm under the impression that you've learned tea leaf readings, fire charms, crystals balls, palm readings, the easy stuff correct? Now I'm going to show you one of the most hardest of Divination techniques used in our world today." She showed the class what she'd picked up from the desk, a quill and a piece of parchment. "Now with these instruments I'll show you how to find patterns in random markings." She cast the pen and parchment to her desk and took at her wand; with a sharp flick black inkbottles and parchment appeared on everyone's table. "Now I want you all to close your eyes and use your quills to make a hundred dots on your parchment, make sure to count." The class looked at one another, puzzled but non the less interested. Harry picked up his quill and eyed Ron staring at the parchment.

"Think she's for real?"

"Very bloody likely…" Came his reply as he too retrieved his quill and closed his eyes. The assignment was easy, save having to redip your quill that caused a few problems… Professor Drakeford had to help Neville clean up his spilled inkbottle and guide his quill when he needed to redip it. It was hard to say just how any spots where on his parchment. After everyone had finished she walked to the front of the class again. "Now please take out you're your Wiccan's Guide to Prophecy and Divination, turn to page five and try to read the dots." The young woman stood quietly as the class tried to interrupt the dots they'd made. Lavender raised her hand shortly after.

"We can't do this, none of us have done something like this before."

"My point exactly Miss, The dots are every hard to interrupt and it takes a keen eye and skilled had to do so. That's what this lesson was about. As we continue through the year and you struggle, is okay, nothing is ever precise and this is an art, so stick with it and by the end of the year I will be having you all being able to crack the code of these dots." She smiled and Lavender went pink. The rest of the class she explained more about The Art of Little Dots and gave them an overview on what they'll learn this year. To Harry's surprise at the end of class Ron couldn't wait for the next. 

The morning was clear as the sun burned away the last remnants of fog that had covered the school grounds in a thick blanket. It was strange weather for September but it could do nothing to dampen the high spirits of the castle. The new year began and the Sorting Ceremony had just ended. It felt good to be back, Remus Lupin now realized how much he'd actually missed old Hogwarts when he had resigned quickly a year ago after he'd transformed into his wolf form on accident. After the secret of the former dark arts teacher had been found out and the Triwizard tournament had ended, Professor Dumbledore had convinced him to return, even the students and parents had somehow got wind of this and a few did their share of persuading as well. He smiled slightly to himself as he turned from the window and cast his gaze around the familiar room that would serve as his office. It seemed almost like home, speaking of which he hoped Sirius hadn't destroyed his yet…

Picking up a few loose papers and setting them down on his dilapidated briefcase he heard the bell ring. Classes were beginning and he'd almost felt nervous as he picked up his briefcase and papers, heading into his classroom. They where fourth years and some of them where very noisy at that, he smiled to himself and set his things down on the desk. "Welcome to Defense against the Dark Arts." The class quieted considerable and he looked at each student in turn. "This year you will learn about the creatures that have been classified as Dark. You'll learn how to avoid them and what to expect." A hand went up. He nodded to the young boy.

"Will we learn about Selkies?" He asked hopefully.

"You want to learn about Mermaids John!" Came a high voice from a Slytherin girl.

"There're not Mermaids!"

"Oh who ca-"

"He is right. Selkies are very good friends of Mermaids though. I know the story if you wish to hear it." The class nodded and chattered excitedly, but the fourth year Slytherin girl huffed and crossed her arms. "Selkis are very strange yet very beautiful creatures. It's said that they befit angels. They wear a thick skin of a seal and its said that if you take the skin of a female Selkie, she will become your bride.

"Mermaids and Selkies have a great mutual tenderness nurtured through an ancient myth: A young fisherman had stunned and skinned a Selkie, throwing her body into the water and pretending to the other fishermen that he had found a dead seal. But the Selkie was still alive, although gravely injured, and regained consciousness in the sea. Cold and pitiful, she found her way into an underwater cave inhabited by a mermaid. Touched by the plight of the Selkie, the mermaid swam upward to try regaining the Selkie's sealskin. In the boat where the sealskin lay she permitted herself to be caught in the net," The class gasped and he paused slightly then continued. "To the surprise of its crew. Remorseful at his destruction of the seal the young fisherman tried to free the mermaid, but the others were determined to take the rarity ashore and sell this most valuable of creatures.

"The poor mermaid, still tangled in the lines, was laid on the sealskin and the boat headed toward shore. But mermaids cannot live long in the air, and her life was slowly ending. She knew that the Selkie men would exact revenge by sending a gale and sinking the ship. The mermaid's last wish was that the skin would sink with her body down to the cave. That's why the two share many friendships with one another."

"So is it true?" Asked another student.

"As I said before it's only a legend." Replied Professor Lupin with a smile.

"I liked that story! Can we hear another?" Another Ravenclaw girl asked.

"I'm sorry to say that the bell's about to ring but I'm sure I can find more legends to tell you about." He smiled again as the bell rang and the class filed out with slight frowns.

Turning back to his desk he sat down and rummaged through his papers again, a small cream-colored letter fell out of the pile and landed close to his arm. "Oh… I didn't know I still had that." He said softly and began to read it.


End file.
